7 Dates
by SonAmyUniverse
Summary: 7 dates with Helga.


It felt like school started over again. No games, less time to fit right in. And there's no gravity, when everyone thinks, you don't exist. But then the ground starts shaking, and you feel like you're pacing, around your living room, spending no time waiting. For that boy in the crowd. Expression frown. You know that recently, you let him down. Thought that he'd be proud of you, for making it in. Now you know that all this time you spent, was for him. But he chose another girl, who's really cute. I'm going to switch off all his words, he will be mute. So he can think twice about what he will choose. So I'm telling you, telling you-

Behind my back, you wouldn't care if I told you I was scared. You pushed me first into my chair, so I pushed you over there. And down we felt those flight of stairs, as you screamed and pulled my hair. We ain't going nowhere.

This better be a jumpscare.

I don't mind you.

Kissing her hand.

And I don't mind you.

Loving romance.

And I don't mind.

If you're asking her to the dance.

But I wanna know, is she a better friend than I am?

Oh no, baby there's not a chance.

Woah, what an awkward circumstance.

This guy is really interesting, thinking why I'm never good at resting. Tried to push him away, kept on protesting, but that only made me keep still confessing. My love for him. But he was already taken, my love was still mistaken, I don't want to be wakened from this scary dream. I know how hard it is to get some energy. So I'm going for a walk to think about nothing.

I don't mind you.

Kissing her hand.

And I don't mind you.

Loving romance.

And I don't mind.

If you're asking her to the dance.

But I wanna know, is she a better friend than I am?

Oh no, baby there's not a chance.

Woah, I never saw the circumstance coming straight for me. I thought we were soaring. When I'm with you, it's not boring. I love waking up in the morning, I'm waking up because of you, cause of you.

I don't mind you.

Swimming the oceans.

And I don't mind you.

Loving devotion.

And I don't mind if you're telling me that we are broken. Behind your back, I never should've said what's spoken.

I don't mind him

Kissing your hand.

And don't mind you.

Loving romance.

And I don't mind if he's asking you to the dance.

But I wanna know...is he a better friend than I am?

Oh, baby there's not a chance.

Woah what an awkward circumstance.

Coming straight for you.

Running is something he doesn't do,

I laughed for you, cried for you, lied about how I liked you. Pushed away, my soul mate, that's you ya know, forsake, I was fake, now too late, I should appreciate, the way you fell for me, Helga Pataki. They way you fell for me, it may have been wacky, but I love you anyways, Helga Pataki.

Arnold & Helga.

AXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXH

Helga sat on the side of the hospital bed, smoothing out Arnold's hair.

"Arnold...why did you have to go and fight my dad? Sure, he was wrong for trying to hurt me. But I'd rather be the one hurt than seeing you in this bad condition. I'm sorry for bringing you in."

Flashback

Earlier that week...

Arnold growls. "Stop hitting her you jerk!"

"Oh yeah Alfred? What are you going to about it, huh? You're just a weak little teenage boy-"

"That's it! THAT DOES IT." He yelled.

He grabbed Bob by the arm, and twisted it as hard as he could.

"OW! Who do you think you are?!" Bob kicked Arnold in the leg, and threw him into a table. Arnold got up breathing hardly, running straight for him. He punched Bob in the face, knocking him down on the ground. As soon as Bob stood up, he grabbed a gun and shot him in the leg twice.

"ARNOLD!" Helga ran over to him.

Bob dropped the gun, and stood there shocked. He tried to pick him up, but Helga stopped him.

"NO! STAY AWAY FROM US! GET AWAY!"

He stepped away from them, sitting down on the couch. Helga cried while calling the police for help.

"911, What's your emergency?"

End of Flashback.

Helga sighs and looks down at Arnold lying down in the hospital bed, with his eyes closed. His leg was in critical condition, and he would be lucky to walk on it again. In the meantime, Helga would stay at the boarding house to take care of him. Filling out all his needs, getting homework from school. She had a lot of weight on her shoulders. Her father is now behind bars for a while, and none of her family members are willing to bail him out.

She walked back into the waiting room to sit with Arnold's parents and the rest of his family.

"Your turn..." she mumbled.

Arnold's parents smiled and walked into the waiting room.

"Don't worry Helga. Our grandson is a strong young man." His grandparents told her.

"Yeah, that may be true, but...I still feel guilty."

"Don't be guilty for an action you never did. Your father is the one who caused this."

"Well I feel guilty that I brought him in my house to begin with."

"He didn't want to see you hurt. You called for help, and he showed up didn't he? That's just Arnold being Arnold. What do you like most about our grandson?"

"He's such a football head."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that he's too nice. He has an optimistic, kind-hearted soul. He's the first person that actually noticed me. He noticed how much of a pain I was. He noticed that I had a dysfunctional family. He noticed how I was insecure. He noticed the fact that I lov- I- I mean really liked him."

"Well we can tell you that he really likes you too."

She shrugged. "Let's just wait and see."

Arnold's parents came out of the hospital room.

"Helga, he's starting to wake up."

She nodded and walked back into the room with them. Helga sat on a stool by his bed. Soon enough, she saw Arnold's eyes flutter open.

"Wha-Where...a-am I?"

"You're in the hospital." His mother said.

Arnold tried to sit up, but then groaned from a sharp pain in his leg.

"ARGH! Why does my leg hurt!?"

The doctor went over to him, and gave Arnold a painkiller.

"You were shot twice in the leg." Miles said.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Way to go Einstein."

"WHAT! How am I still alive?" He said raising his voice.

"Hon, you are not dying. Your suffering from a few wounds. You may feel like you are, and even if you do, everyone will eventually join you in the sky someday. That's how the world works-"

Stella pointed at the door. "Get. Out."

Miles sighed and exited the room.

"Sorry about that Hon. Your father was only kidding. Now...I'm glad that you are okay. You may be stuck in a cast for a few months, but we are here for you. And I have good news! Helga will be staying at the boarding house, helping you while you're in this condition."

Arnold's eyes opened wide. "Helga! Where is she? Is she okay?"

"I'm right here football head." She said turning around in a rolling chair.

"I'll leave you kids to talk. Tell me when you're finished Helga. We are going to help you get settled in Arnold's room."

"Okay then."

She left the room, leaving the two alone.

Helga smiled a little, still feeling a little guilty.

"So football head...how are you feeling?"

He coughed. "Eh still a little sore, but I won't be for long. So what happened to me again? My head still seems a smidge bit fuzzy."

She sighed and looked down. "You and Bob were in this fight. Yet I felt like I started this whole fiasco."

He sat up. "How so?"

She covered her face with her hands. "I...called for your help, when I should've called the police. When you walked in, you found Bob about to hit me again with a beer bottle. You just snapped instantly at the scene in front of you."

Flashback

Arnold growls. "Stop hitting her you jerk!"

"Oh yeah Alfred? What are you going to about it, huh? You're just a weak little teenage boy-"

"That's it! THAT DOES IT." He yelled.

He grabbed Bob by the arm, and twisted it as hard as he could.

"OW! Who do you think you are?!" Bob kicked Arnold in the leg, and threw him into a table. Arnold got up breathing hardly, running straight for him. He punched Bob in the face, knocking him down on the ground. As soon as Bob stood up, he grabbed a gun and shot him in the leg twice.

"ARNOLD!" Helga ran over to him.

Bob dropped the gun, and stood there shocked. He tried to pick him up, but Helga stopped him.

"NO! STAY AWAY FROM US! GET AWAY!"

He stepped away from them, sitting down on the couch. Helga cried while calling the police for help.

"911, What's your emergency?"

"My dad just shot one of my friends in the leg twice!"

"Stay calm young lady. Tell us the location, and our parimedics will be right over."

End of Flashback.

Arnold fell back onto the bed, running his hand through his hair. "Great. Now I remember."

"I know this is all my fault Arnold. And I'm sor-"

"Stop that."

She raised her brow.

"Stop what?"

"Apologizing. This isn't your fault, so don't get all depressed about it. It's not my fault either. It's your father's problem. He drinks too much. Where is your dad now?"

"He's in jail for a really long time."

"Figured." He sighed.

"But Arnold, you didn't have to save me."

Arnold grabbed her hand quickly.

"Helga, don't be like that. Of course I had to save your life. You know I'd die for you right?"

"Yes, but I also don't want to lose you. I'd die for you too Arnold."

"I know you would. Best friends would die for each other right?"

Helga nodded, feeling a pang of hurt.

"Good. I'm glad that you understand." He grinned.

"Yeah. Me too." She smiled at him.

Helga checked her watch. "Woah I have to get back to the boarding house so I can get settled in and everything. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah."

Helga's phone buzzes with a text from Stella.

"Your mom just told me to let you know that you'll be coming back home tomorrow night."

"That's good but...how will you help me and go to school at the same time? You know I have to stay home."

"I'll manage somehow Arnaldo. I can tell you that I will be bringing your homework from school. I'll try to pay close attention in class, if you need help answering any problems. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, it's cool." He smiled.

"Great! So uh...I'll see you tomorrow after school football head."

"See you then Helga."

She hesitated then bent down to hug him. He hugged her gently while grinning.

"I'll miss you." He said once she turned her back to him.

Helga chuckled and winked at him. "I'll miss you too football face. See you soon."

With that, she walked out of the waiting room, and his parents went in there to hug him goodnight. As soon as they were done, they went back to the boarding house.

Helga looked around Arnold's room shyly. 'Wow. This place brings back memories. I'm living here now, yet I still snuck in here several times. It's all overwhelming.'

Stella moved Helga's bed into his room. How did she do it, nobody knows. Helga's books were put in a red box under her bed. She begged Arnold's parents not to read them because they were private.

"Well Helga! You're all settled. Dinner will be ready in a few hours, but we will just bring it to you until Arnold gets back home from the hospital. Is...that okay with you?" Miles said.

She nodded. "Yup. Thanks for helping me get settled in here and everything. Sorry if it was too much of a hassle for you."

"It was our pleasure. Anything for Arnold's gir-...I mean friend! Anything for Arnold's friend! Heh..."

"O...okay?" She said nervously.

"Call us if you need help with anything. We'll just be downstairs."

Helga nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem kiddo." Miles said and walked out of the room with his wife.

Helga sighed and sat down on the bed.

'Wow. His room is huger than I thought it would be. It still feels very overwhelming. Thinking about what got me here. I'm still recovering from Arnold only thinking of me as just his best friend. As far as I know, I swore Gerald was his best friend. I wanted to be called something stronger than that in his words. But...I don't think that's ever going to happen. I still remember the FTI incident like it was yesterday.

Flashback

2 years ago.

Arnold gawked at her.

"You did this for me?"

"Thats right hair-boy! I mean, criminy, what else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble!?"

"Love?"

"You heard me, pal! I love you! Love you!"

"Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day, building shrines to you in a closet, filling volumes of books with poems about you?"

"I love you Arnold, I've always loved you, ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head! And from that moment- every moment since. I've lived and dreamed for you. Dreamed of the moment I could finally tell you of my secret feelings, so I could grab you and kiss you and-oh, come here you big lug!"

She pulled Arnold in for a kiss.

He was shocked out of his mind as his hat flew off his head over the building. Eventually, he had pulled away from her, to her dismay.

"Wait...I'm confused. Did you just say you-love-me?" He grimaced.

"What! ARE YOU DEAF?" She said shaking him.

A voice came on from Arnold's watch.

"Arnold!" Gerald said.

"Not now!" Helga yelled into the watch.

"Not now? Who the-"

She hung up on him. "Oh Arnold, just hold me."

He ducked out from her reach.

"I-I-I need to think!"

"Yes, I suppose you have to do the thinking for both of us now darling." She tried to kiss him.

"Woah...this is happening too fast! I-I need to lie down." He said putting his hand up to his head.

"Wonderful! I'll go with you." She said dreamily putting her arms around him.

"No! I mean...there's no time for that! We've got exactly twenty minutes to get back to the neighborhood before the bulldozers roll!"

"Bulldozers?" She says dreamily staring at him.

"Helga. The neighborhood. We have to save the neighborhood! Come on. Let's roll."

He pulls out a rope with a hook, and swings off the building with Helga holding on to his waist.

2nd Flashback...

"Pretty crazy day..." Arnold says stepping away from Helga.

"Yeah, we... uh... said a lot of nutty things back there." She says blushing.

He looks away. "Yeah."

"Y-Yeah. W-Well, um. About all that stuff I said, Arnold, I... I... I mean... It was crazy back there and.."

"Yeah, with all the excitement we just... we just kinda.." He scratched his head.

"G-Got carried away?"

"You didn't really mean all that, did you? You don't really... love me, right?" He says nervously.

"Right."

"You were caught up in the heat of the moment, right?"

She grinned. "Right!"

"You actually hate me, don't you?" He grinned mischievously.

She covered her mouth, turning away from him and swinging her arm in approval. Then she turned back at him in her usual scowl.

"Of course I hate you, you stupid football head, and don't you ever forget it! Ever!"

"Okay." He smiles knowingly at Helga, watching her walk off around the corner.

As soon as she was out of his sight, she cheered happily.

"Yes! La-la-la!" She sang running off.

End of Flashback.

Helga turned over on her side. 'Is it strange that I wish he never said that? The heat of the moment... I told him everything, but I agreed that it was just the heat of the moment. Why did I do that?'

She sighed, putting her chin on her pillow.

The Next Day After School.

Helga sighed softly while looking out the window of the Packard. She decided to keep her feelings for him behind her until she got out of school. Focusing was her main goal to get Arnold to pass.

Stella looked at Helga through the car mirror, with her hands on the steering wheel.

"Helga hon? You doing okay back there?"

Helga didn't take her gaze off the car window. "I guess so."

"You ready to see Arnold?"

Helga nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Stella smiled and drove the Packard into the hospital parking lot. The three all stepped out of the car, and went inside.

They walked to a lady at the front desk.

"Hi. We're here to pick up our son Arnold." Said Miles.

"Go on ahead. Floor 2, second door on the right."

"Okay, thank you ma'am." Stella smiled and walked into the elevator with Helga and Miles behind her.

"I'm sure Arnold will be very delighted to see you Helga." Miles grinned knowingly patting her on the shoulder.

Helga blushed dead beat red as Stella slapped Miles on the arm.

"Yeah...don't go in the room honey."

"But he's my son! Come on!" He whined.

"Uh-huh. And you'll embarrass him in front of his friend. Not taking any chances."

"Fine..." He groaned and leaned onto the elevator door.

"Wait! No Miles don't!" Helga yelled as the door opened.

He fell through the door onto the ground.

"What a surprise! Did you choose today to humiliate yourself in public? Or does the ground just really like your face?" Helga smirked rolling her eyes.

Miles chuckled. "Uh...both?"

"Sure..." Stella mumbled and smiled.

Helga knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's your friend Helga, and I'm with your parents!"

He comes over to the door in crutches, and opens it.

"Hey guys!" He says happily.

They each gave him a hug and then shut the door.

"How goes it Arnold?" Helga smiled.

"It goes...actually better than I thought it would."

"Sounds great!" Stella gushed.

"See Helga? I told you our son was a strong young man." Miles grinned.

Arnold widened his eyes, and Helga did a facepalm.

Stella crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently on the ground while giving him a 'look'.

"Yeah...I'll be outside the door." He walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Helga looked back to Arnold. "Your dad's really cool but he's..."

They both sighed. "Yeah."

Arnold shook his head to clear the thought. "Anyways, the doctor gave me some pain killers to stop my leg from hurting if the burning sensation gets worse. In about 6 months, I should be recovered from my wounds."

Helga grimaced. "6 months seems like a long time. The wounds are that bad?"

He rubbed his neck. "The doctor says they are serious. But don't worry Helga, I will be fine."

She sighed and looked at him. "I sure hope so..."

Back at the boarding house...

The boarders cheer that Arnold made it back safely.

He thanks them, and Helga gives him support to get up the stairs to his room.

Arnold sighed sitting down on his couch. "Man...I'm bored."

Helga sits down next to him. "It really bites to have a broken leg, doesn't it?"

Arnold groaned and looked at the ceiling.

"Will you stop that already? I've told you before that it's not your fault, nor was it mine. It was your father's! Let it go! I really don't want to go through this conversation with you again. Please."

She rested her head on her hand.

"Whatever you say Arnold. Whatever you say."

He looked at her and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, you just stole my line that's all. Crimeny, do you have a sense of humor, or what?"

"Really football head? Really?" She smirked.

"You deserved it."

"You're such a football-"

He pulls her close. His eyes had turned from light to dark green.

"Head..." she slowly finished.

He blushed, because his action was actually an accident. He never pulled Helga in on purpose. He was just reaching for the remote behind her arm, and he grabbed her arm on accident instead.

But never did he pull away. He looked into her eyes, seeing her blush madly. The heat rose up in his cheeks, and he found himself leaning in slightly. Their faces were just an inch apart from doing the inevitable. Helga took a deep breath and closed the gap between them. She kissed him gently, but with so much passion. His eyes had shot open. Her lips tasted like a combination of popsicles and ice cream. His eyes eventually fluttered closed, and he started to kiss her back. He only did so for a few seconds before Helga pulled away.

"A-Arnold I'm so-" Her worried expression went away within a couple seconds. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Arnold was giving her his signature half lidded smile with a lovesick grin on his face.

'Uh oh. I KNOW that look. What's going on-'

Her thoughts were cut off, when he pulled her in for a long passionate kiss again. She squealed under her breath. 'Ahh! What the heck is going on here?'

She pulled away from him.

His look had vanished quickly.

"Is...something wrong Helga?"

Helga shifted awkwardly on the couch.

"I-I just need to get up to speed here..."

"Huh?"

"Arnold...what are we doing right now?"

"Uh...I think we were kiss-"

"No duh Sherlock! I mean...this...sitting in your room, and doing that, as friends and all. Do best friends do this stuff because I know for sure that you don't do this with tall hair boy, and I CERTAINLY don't do this with Phoebe."

"Now I see what you mean. I dunno...why are we kissing? And do you care? Because I sure don't. "

"Nah." She shrugged.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her in again. After making out for like years, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips and looked into her eyes.

"Arnold?"

He dropped her hand.

"You're Cecile. Aren't you?" He said under his breath.

"Are you mad?" She said sadly.

"It did shock me at first, but then I realized what a great night we had together. I just wish you could have done it with your real name instead."

"I guess that makes sense."

He chuckled and grabbed the remote.

"Arnold?"

"Yes Helga?"

"How do you feel about me?"

He paused for a second, a turned to her.

"That depends..."

"On what exactly?"

"How do you feel about me?"

"My confession on top of the FTI building wasn't in the heat of the moment."

"..."

"It was forreal. But I agreed to go along with the fact that I hated you instead of the opposite of that."

"Helga. I already knew you were lying all along. I may be dense sometimes"

"Sometimes?! Don't you mean ALL the time-"

"Let's not go there." He put his hand up to her face.

"The point is, I decided to cut you a break. Meanwhile, I took the time to see how I felt about you. It's been 2 years, and I still don't know what to feel. Life gives you way too many ups and downs, right now, I'm at a down because of my leg injury. But, there's a bright side to every thing. To make it to the bright side, I need to figure out my feelings for you. And there's only one way to do that."

"Arnold?"

"Helga, will you...go out on 7 dates with me?"

"Huh? Why seven?"

"7 dates...every day of the week?"

"Oh...hmmm...that depends. Where do you plan on taking me?"

He thought to himself, then grinned.

"Slausens, the movies, a baseball game, hockey game, school dance, Chez Paris, and Venice-"

Helga gasped, grabbing his wrist. "You'd take me to Venice Beach?!"

He chuckled. "Well...yeah. But...maybe that might happen in the summer time...which is only a few weeks away..."

"Of course I'll go on these dates with you Arnold! I love- Well whatever it was that I said!" She kissed his on the cheek, living him clearly in a lovesick daze one again.

"Glad you're on board Helga." He spoke dreamily.

AXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXHAXH!

Arnold & Helga. -24/7


End file.
